Four Ways to Improve Soil Health

There are several things farmers can do to improve soil health, Farm Journal associate field agronomist Missy Bauer says in Episode 12 of Corn College TV Season 3.

First, manage water properly.

"If we have good drainage in our soil where we don’t get saturated, waterlogged conditions, we’ll have better microbial activity in the soil itself, less issues with things like de-nitrification, where we can lose nitrogen."

Second, evaluate aggregates for stability, avoiding damage to the soil structure through poor tillage.
Third, avoid compacting the soil by being in the field when conditions are too wet. And fourth, make sure pH levels are high enough to keep microbial populations healthy.